DI Units pros...cons...etc

[Buckeye Field Supply]

As an option to using a set up with separate beds, and recarging the resin yurself, many choose to use a refillable DI cartridge and purchase resin refills.

Just another option.

Russ

[B-O-F]

UK, dum question coming up. but thats what I'm here for.

Given the issues of waste water with R/O and resin degradation with Deionisation..... What would be the result of running the waste water from a 50% water change in the tanks through a DI unit and reusing it ?

[Buckeye Field Supply]

The dirtier the water is that you run through the DI resin the faster you'll burn through it.

[phidelt85]

Actually, It'll work well but it may be more trouble than it's worth. This process is used in the industry I work in regularly. If your supplying your tank with <10ppm TDS and your tank "cycles" by a factor of 2 overnight your waste water from your tank is <20ppm TDS. This would be a less concentration going into your RO compared to your tapwater.

Here's where it may get cost prohibitive. You will now have to install a filter for organics removal which if you already have a GAC filter inline you're covered but it will need to be replaced more often, and you'll need to "sterilize" the water prior to entering your RO. The biggest enemy to any RO unit is mineral scaling and biofouling. Your tank obviously has a bacterial colony plus any other parasites or bugs that may be in the water. This will grow on your RO membranes and plug them faster if you don't kill them and filter the "bodies" out prior to hitting the RO. On a system like this a UV system would work well.

I hope I didn't muddy the waters to much, but when you start talking water treatment you're barkin' up my tree

[Buckeye Field Supply]

and you'd have to re-pressurize the water to 50+ psi

[phidelt85]

yet, another con, so add the cost of a booster pump as well. I forgot about that one

[B-O-F]

Mmmm. All good points

The R/O unit would be pointless because you would still lose ost of the water to waste. Does RI still need power or would gravity feed work ?

[Buckeye Field Supply]

You can gravity feed water through DI resin. The slower the flow the better.

[D9VIN]

Wondering if there is any more current info on this topic...

[Buckeye Field Supply]

What are you interested in doing?

[D9VIN]

I live in west Texas, got 20 ppm nitrates and 11dkh, and water can get pretty expensive if you get into the water waster tiers of billing. I am trying to find a more efficient means of purification, ie doesn't waste water. Just worried that di will have me recharging/replacing resins too often, and I don't think it would have any effect on nitrates, right? Plus I can't find the Kent Deion 220r that was referenced earlier in this post for sale anywhere.

[D9VIN]

I plan on requesting a water report this afternoon.

[TURQ64]

If a particular model isn't available, just buy the DI cartridge you like from Fosters&Smith, and stick it in any 10" canister.. It isn't exactly rocket science, mateys...

[D9VIN]

I have a bad habit of trying to make everything rocket science, haha.

[Buckeye Field Supply]

If you go with a "DI only" approach, yes, you'll go through DI resin quickly.

Does resin take out ntrates? Yes.

Your nitrates are above the EPA limit for safe drinking water (10 ppm).

Russ